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SEWING AND TRIMMING MACHINE. No. 275,981. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

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A 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. S. BURTON 8v. C. H. WILLCOX. SEWING AND TRIMMINGMACHINE No. 275,981. Patented pr. 17,1883.

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UNITED STATES einen.

ATENT STOCKTON BORTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CHARLES H.WILLCOX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THE WILLCOX & GIBBS SEWINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEWING AND TRIMMING IVlACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,981, dated April17, 1883.

Application inea December 27,1882. (No moat-,1.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, S'rocK'roN Boa'roN, of Philadelphia, in the countyof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, and CHARLES H. WILLCOX, ofNew York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Sewing and Trimming Machines, which improvement isfully set forth in the following speciiication.

lo This invention has reference more particularly to machines forsimultaneously sewing and trimming knit goods and other fabric, but isin part applicable to sewing-machines generally.

I It consists, first, in the combination, with a sewing-machine havingan under feed and trimming attachment therefor, of means for relievingat each descent of the needle the pressure of the presser-foot, so thatthe machine 2O may sew and trim around small circles-such,

for example, as the ends of glove-fingers.

The second part of the invention comprises certain improved means forautomatically relieving the pressure of the presser-foot. A

vibratory lever or other suitable reciprocating piece acts upon thepresser-foot through a spring which serves as themedium ofcommunication, and through which a continuous and unbroken connection ismaintained. The use of contact devices or stops is avoided, (thevibratory lever or reciprocating piece being disconnected from thepresser-foot, except thron gh the continuous elastic connectiom) so thatthe hard and noisy action due to the rapid striking of surfaces isavoided. The springis comprovements in the trimming attachment--to wit,in the mechanism for automatically clamping the work fora short time ateach stitch, so as to hold it stationary while the trimmer is cuttin g,and then to relieve it While the feed takes 5o place, and also in themeans for adjusting the position of tne upper shear-blade of the trimmerand of the clamping-finger relatively to the stitch-forming devices, or,in other words,

for regulating their distance from the line of 5,5

scam.

The improvement in the clamping mechan ism consists in operating theclamping device or finger through an elastic lever-arm or dat springconnected at one end to a rock-shaft 6o which carries the clampingdevice or finger, and at the other to an eccentric-strap or otherreciprocating piece. Preferably the sprin g is connected with the samestrap which operates the upper shear-blade of the trimmer, but notnecessarily so, since it can be operated by a separate eccentricand'strap, or from some other part ofthe sewing-machine or trimmingattachment. The principal advantage of this arrangement is that thepressure upon the 7o clamping-Hoger adjusts itself automatically to thethickness of the work beneath, being heavier as the work is thicker, Itpossesses advantage also in the way of simplicity, durability, and inthe gradual application and release of the pressure, and, further, inpermit: ting the degree of pressure to be readily adjusted by alteringthe position of the elastic arm relatively to the rock-shaft.

The improvement in the means for adjust.- 8o ing` the position oftheclamping device or finger and of the upper or vibratory shear-bladerelatively to the stitching mechanism consists in adapting therock-shaft and clamping device or linger carried thereby, to be adjustedin the line ofits (the said shafts) length, and in connecting the saidrock-shaft and that whichv carries the vibratory cutter or shearblade,so that they are or may be moved together by one adjusting device. Thispart of go the invention may be considered as an improvement upon,addition to, or modification of the attachment described in LettersPatent No. 255,578, granted March 28,1882, to the Willcox St GibbsSewing Machine Company as our assignee.

The fourth part of the invention consists in combining with a trimmerortrim ming attachthat the said joint and the spring connected therewithare protected from foreign matters, said spring being inclosed in themiddle leaf ofthe hinge and bearing against a pin fixed in the outerleaves.

The fifth part of t-he invention consists in a special device forrelieving at the will ofthe operator the clamp of the disk-tension onthe thread-to wit, in a spring-plate having a small teat adapted, whenforced between the tensiondisks,to separate and hold'them apart.

Devices of various kinds have been made for this purpose,but it isunnecessary here todescribe them.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification,Figure lis a view in front elevation, partly in vertical longitudinalsection, of a sewing-machine with trimming attachment, or a sewing andtrimming machine,

embodying the invention; Figs. 2 and 3, views ofthe same iu plan and endelevation, respectively, the end elevation partlyin verticalcrosssection; and Figs. 4 and 5 are viewsin plan and cud elevation,respectively, ofthe trimming attachment, with a small part of thesewing-machine. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged views in vertical section, inplanes. at right angles to each other, of the hingedpresser-footdetached.

In Fig. 7 the presser-foot has a clamping-iinger attached to it, whichlinger may be used in place of the independent clamping device shown inthe other figures. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating the device forrelieving at will the tension; and Fig. 9, a similar view,y showing theposition of the cutter or blade relatively to the needle.

A is the machine-frame, A2 the main shaft, A3 the iiy-wheel, A4t thelooper or hook, A5 the needle-lever, A6 the needle-bar, A7 thepresserbar, and A8 the cloth-plate, all of the construction usual in theWillcox St Gibbs sewing-machine, or of any other ordinary or suitableconstruction.

The feed mechanism A9, as shown, embodies the improvements described inUnited States Letters PatentrNo. 255,577, granted March 28, 1882, to theWillcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company as our assignee; but feedmechanism of any ordinary or suitable construction may be used.

The disk-tension B, the intermittent tension B', the bar B?, thepull-otB3, and the cheek-tensionB are constructed and arranged asdescribed in Letters PatentNo.255,58l to the same parties,onthesamedate. These maybe replaced by oth er suitablethread-controllingapparatus, it' desired. The presser-foot B4 and the trimmingattachmentare constructed in the main as described in Letters PatentV No. 255,578,before mentioned, B5 being theitrimmer-frame or frame of the attachment;B6, the stationary blade or adjustable cutter-bar; B7, the setscrew forholding the same in position B8, the vibratory blade or cutter; B9, therock-shaft carrying said cutter; C, the lever-arm; C', the link oreccentric-strap; C2, the pin connecting the link or strap with thecutter-operating arm C and furnishingA a long bearing, which permits thelongitudinal adjustment of said rock-shaft C3, the eccentric fixed onshaft A2; (J4, a spiral compression-spring encircling the rock shaft Band tending lto force it to the right, Fig. 1, so as to hold the edgesof cutters BG and B8 in contact with each other. C5 is a lever, whichenables the operator to lift the presser-bar and presserfoot by meansofa treadle connectedwith the right-hand end. The presser-bar A47 isconnected by a screw with a plunger, C, which is free to slide in a holein the machine-frame, and which is pressed down by means of a spiralcompression-sprin g, G7.

So far there is nothing newin the machine, and the brief descriptiongiven, in connection with the drawings and the patents referred to, willvsutlice for a full understanding of the new improvements, which will now bedescribed.

Ordinarily the spring which depresses the presser-bar and presser-foot,and which is represented by the spiral spring G7, (although itA maybeand often is ofa different corlstructiom) bears at its upper end againstan adjusting screw or nut or a fixed portion of the machineframe. ln thepresent invention it bears against the lever-arm D through theintermediary of the pin C8 and disk C9 fixed thereon. The pin C8 movesin guides in the vmachineframe and in the plunger' (ligand its upper endfits into a recess in the end of the lever arm D. The lever-arm D iscarried by a short shaft, D,jou rnaled in the machineframe,and isoperated from the needle-lever A5 through the arm D2, fastened to theopposite end of the shaft D and the-link D3. At each vibration of theneedle-lever, therefore, the lever D2 D D is vibrated also, and producesa reciprocation of the pin Cfand disk G9. When the needlebar rises thepin and disk are forced down by the lever-arm D compressing the springC7, which thereupon communicates its pressure through the plunger G6 tothe presser-bar and presser-foot, sothat the latter clamps the work withsuitablepressure. When the needle-bar descends the lever-arm, D, and thepin and disk C8 C9 rise and allow the spring )7 to expand and-relievethe pressure of the presser-foot upon the work, so that the latter caneasily be turned. The parts areI so disposed that when the spring C7 isexpanded to its fullest extent itexerts little or no pressure.

1t is, however, often desirable that thework should be relieved of thepressure due to the weight of the presser-foot and presser-bar, as-

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is arranged to exert its force to lift'the presserbar. It is shown as aspiral compressionspriug interposed between the fixed pin E and thebottom ofthe plunger C6. The power thereof is less than that of thepresser-spring CT, so that it does not prevent the presser-foot beingheld down by a suitable pressure; but it suffices to lift thepresser-bar and presserfoot when the presser-spring Cis expanded.-

It is obviously desirable that the pressure with which the presser-footis held down should admit of variation according to the nature of thework. The desired adjustment may be effected in various ways. As shown,the connection between the lever-arm D2 and the short shaft D is made bya screw-clamp. By loosening said clamp and turning the shaft with thelever-arm D to the right or left the amount of compression of thepresser-spring G7, and consequently the pressure ot' the presserfootupon the work may be regulated at will. It will be noticed that thepressure is gradually applied to and withdrawn from the presser-foot,and that the latter remains in contact with the work except for a veryshort time at each stitch.

Referring now to the trimmingattachment, F is a clamping device orfinger for holding the work or fabric down upon the stationary cutterbar 0r blade BG. It is carried by one end of a rock-shaft, F,journaledin the trimmerframe B5. The opposite or right-hand end of the rock-shaftis connected by an elastic lever-arm. F2, and a link, F3, with the pinC2.

The arm F2 is, as shown, a flat spring, which is at opposite endsscrewed to the piecesF4 F5, the former, F4, having a hub by which it isattached to the rockshaft F', and the latter, F5, recessed to receivethe upper end of link F3 and drilled and tapped to receive thescrewpinF, by which said link is jointed thereto. The pin C2 being reciprocatedby the eccentric C3 through the link or strap C', the clamping device orfinger F is at each stitch nia-de to press upon and clamp the workalongside the vibratory cutter B8. So soon as the linger or clampingdevice bears upon the work the elasi tic arm 0r spring F2 bends andexerts its pressure thereon. The piti 02 continningits de scent, thepressure is gradually increased until the eccentric link or strap C haspassed the lower dead-point., when thepin C2, risinggradually, withdrawsthe pressure, and aft-er a while lifts the clamping device. or lingerclear ofthe work. The movement of the pin C2 being'the same, the thickerthe work between theclamping device and the cutter bar or blade BG themore the arm or spring F2 is bent, and consequently the heavier thepressure upon the work. rPhe pressure can be adjusted at will byaltering the connection between the piece F4 and the rock-shaft F', thehubof'said piece F4 being, as shown, clamped by a set-screw upon therock-shaft so as to admit of the adjustment. The rock-shafts B9 F areboth. ad-

justable lengthwise in their bearings,"so as to bring the vibratorycutter or blade Bitaud the `bot-h, the set-screw G is employed.

clamping device or finger F nearer to or farther from thc needle. -Toadjust the position of This setscrew, which is parallel to the tworock-shafts, is tapped into the trimmer-frame and itsend is split tocause it to retain the position at which it is set. Other meanssuch as asetscrew-could be used to retain it in position. A radial tlange,^G, Jnsaid screw hasitsedge let into a notch in the hub of piece F4, so thatthe said piece, the rock-shaft F', and the clamp-l it, with thevibratory cutter, also follows the longitudinal movements of the setscrew. Thus the vibrator-y cutter or blade and the clamping device orlinger are or may be simultaneously adjusted nearer to or farther fromthe line of stitching, and the clamping device or finger will always be,without care on the part of the operator, in the closest proximity tothe vibratory cutter or blade in all positions of the latter. A screw,G2, tapped into the trimmer-frame and'having its end inserted into agroove in the set-screw, limits the adjustment thereof in bothdirections.

The clamping device or finger is shown as curved to clear thepresser-bar; but, if desired, the presser-bar could be cutaway instead.It is found advantageous in sewing around circles, particularly if ofsmall diameter, to cut the fabric lalongside the needle and not whollybehind it. The vibratory cutter or blade is therefore extended, and inorder that it may still cut in close proximity to the needle, the end isbeveled or inclined to the vertical on the side adjacent. to the'needle. (See Figs. 4 and 9.)

. In order that the cutters may not interfere with the turning ofthework in sewing around small circles, the eccentric, which operates thevibratory cutter, and the clamping device or i finger are so set thatthe vibratory cutter rises slightly before the presser-foot resumes itshold on the fabric, while the needle is still in the work, and the bodyofthe latter is entirely free. The vibratory cutter and the clampingdevice or linger descend with the needle and rise with it. rlhis is themost advantageous arrangement.; but work can be performed with the partsdifferently timed.

. The presser-foot B4 has been said to bein the main likethatshown inPatent No. 255,578; but it diti'ers therefrom in having the foot proper(or the sole,77 as it may be called) hinged, so that by working on thehinge it will allow seams and thick places to pass without losing itspressure upon other parts ofthe work. The hinge, as shown, has its pivotat I, between the foot proper or sole and the portion I', which isfastened to the lower end of the presser-bar. The cutting portion of thetrimmer is placed lat the side ot' the hinge or rear part ot' thepresser-foot, so that when the latter is tilted bythe passage of a seamthe heel or rear part. will maintainits pressure upon the wot kalongside of said cutting portion, and will hold it l means forrelieving the pressure of the press- Irmly under the action ofthetrimmer. With the ordinary rigid foot the passage of a seam would liftthe foot bodily, and for a time relieve the pressure alongside ot' thecutter, and thus lessen the eticiency ot' the trimmer.

In order that cutters may workin close proximity to the line ot'stitching and to the needle, the presser-foot behind the needle is madeof half-width, and the plates 12 I3 14 of the hinge are made thin, so asto be contained in the space allowed. At the same time strength is givento the hinge by making the said plates deep. Aspring, 15, iscombinedwith the hinge. It tends to keep the foot proper level while allowing itto tilt as occasion may require. To protect the spring, it is placed inan opening in the plate 13. Its free end acts upon the pin 16, h'xed inthe plates l2 14.

To prevent foreign matter-'such as lint and the likeworking between thehinge-plates, the edges of these are curved at l7 l8 .upon arcs struckfrom the pivot I as a center.

In putting the partstogether the spring is placed in its recess, theplates areinterleaved, and the pivot-pin is inserted and secured. Thefree end of' the spring is then pushed back by a small rod or, wireinserted through the hole I9, and the pin IG is then fixed in positionin front of said end, and the rod or wire is removed. Space for thevibratory cutter B8 is left between the clamping device or finger F andthe rear part of the presser-foot. The hinged foot may be used with aclamping-tinger attached to the foot proper, as shown at F", Fig. 7, orwith one attached directly to the presser-bar, as well as with anindependent clamping device, as shown in the other Iigures; or it can beused in connection with trimming attachments unprovided withclamping-fingers. It may be observed that hinged presser-feet haveheretofore been used in sewingmachines, but never, so far as we areaware, in combination with a trimmer or trimming attachment of any kind,nor ot' the construction stated.

In sewing it is very often desirable to release the tension upon thethread, so as to allow it to he drawn freely from the spool. For thispurpose the spring arm or plate H is employed. It is clamped between thebase H of the disk-tension, and is so bent that it naturally springsaway from the tension-disks. Opposite the space between thetension-disks is a small teat, H2. The operator, by pressing upon theupper end of the spring arm or plate H, (which is bent to allow hisfinger or thumb Y to rest more comfortably thereon,) forces the teat H2between the tension-disks, spreading them apart and releasing their gripupon the thread. The automatic or intermittent tension B ot' coursereleases the thread automatically at each stitch. y

Modifications may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit ofthe invention, and portions of the inventionmay be used separately. For example, the

er-foot could be used in sewing-machines not having a. trimmingattachment'. for sewing straw and for other purposes, or in machineshaving trimming attachments dit'ering from 5 that described; and so,also, the trimming attachment could be used independently. At the sametime it should be understood that the machine shown embodies theinvention in its best and most complete form.

It will be seen that the means for applying and releasing the pressureof the clamping `device or fingers are analogous to those for applyingand releasing the pressure of the presser-foot, in that both apply andwithdraw the pressure gradually through a spring from reciprocating orvibrating device without any striking of stops. So far as we are aware,the combination of such means with a cloth or work clamping device in asewing-machine (for the presser-foot is aclamping device as well as theclamping device or tinger specifically so called) has never been beforemade, and the combination broadly, as well as the special applicationsthereof is included in this invention.

Obviously the presser-sprin g could be made to bear directly against themovable device for compressing it, instead of through the intermediaryof a pin, as shown.

Having now fully described our said invention and the manner of carryingthc same into etfect,'what we claim is"- 1. The combination, with asewing-machine having a four-motion under feed and provided with a trimming attachment, of mechanism for automatically relieving the pressureof the presser-foot while the needle is below the clothplate and thefeed-surface depressed, and for restoring said pressure upon the rise ofthe needle and feed-surface, whereby the sewing and trimmingaround smallcircles are facilitated, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the sewing-machine,

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the trimmer carried by a stationary part of Y the machinesuch as thecloth-plate--the automatic mechanism for relieving the pressure of thepresser-foot on the descent of the needle and for restoring it on theascent of said needle, and mechanism foroperating the movable blade orcutter of said trimmer, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the presser-foot and underfeed, of mechanism comprising a reciprocating device and spring forautomatically depressing the presser-foot on the ascent of the needlethrough the compression of said spring by said reciprocating device, andfor relieving its pressure ou the descent of the needle, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of a cloth or workclampingdevice, a reciprocating piece, andan interposed spring through themedium of which pressure is conveyed to -said clamping device from saidreciprocatingA iece the said clam )inv device srin and naam y j .s

reciprocating piece being arranged, substantially as described, so thatthe pressure ot' the clamping device may be alternately applied andrelieved without the,strikingcontaet of rigid surfaces, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the presser-foot and needle-lever, of thevibratory lever, spring, and co-operating devices arranged tok convey anintermittent pressure to the presser-foot from the needle-lever throughthe spring, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the needle-lever, link, and vibratory lever withthe presser-'toot and intermediate devices, whereby the pressure of thesaid foot is automatically relieved or withdrawn, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination, with the presser-foot, presser-spring, and movablepart for automatically compressing and relieving said spring, of theantagonistic spring, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a clamping device, movable piece-such as aneccentric-strap, for exampleand interposed spring, of adjusting meansfor varying the pressure without altering the movement of said piece,substantially as described.

l9. The combination of the presser foot, presser-sprin g, vibratorylever, link, and needle-lever, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the presser-foot, vibratory lever, presser-spring interposed between said lever and said presser-foot, and adjustin gmeans for varyin g the pressure on said spring without altering thestroke of the lever, substantially as described.

11. The combination ot' the presser-foot, presser-spring, antagonisticspring, and vibratory lever, substantially as described.

12. The combination ot' the presser-foot, presser-spring, antagonisticspring, vibratory lever, and adjusting means, substantially asdescribed.

13. The combination ot' the presser foot, presser-spring, antagonisticspring, vibratory lever, link, and needle-lever, substantially asdescribed.

14. The combination of the presser foot, presser-bar, plunger,presser-spring, antagonistic spring, disk and pin, and vibratory lever,substantially as described.

15. In a trimmer or trimming attachment, the combination, with theclamping device or linger, of a movable piece-such as an eccentric-strapor a link-and a spring interposed between the said piece and the saidclamping device or ringer, and serving to communicate pressure from theformer to the latter, snbstantially as described.

16. The combination of the clamping device or linger, the rock-shaft,the elastic lever-arm, and the movable piece-such as an eccentric strapor linkfor operating on the end of said arm to rock said shaft,substantially as described.

17. The combination, with the trimming mechanism, of the clamping deviceor finger 20. In combination with a rock-shaft, elastic lever-armattached thereto and formed of a tlat spring, the link connected witbtheouter end ot' said spring, and the reciprocating part, with which theother end of said spring is connected, substantially as described.

21. The combination, in a trimmer, with the clamping device or finger,of the rock-shaft carrying said device or finger, and adjusting meansfor moving the same longitudinally, substantially as described.

22. Thecombinatiomwith themovablecutter or blade and the clamping deviceor finger, ot' adjusting means common to both for simultaneouslyadjusting them, substantially as described.

23. The combination, with the two rockshafts capable of longitudinaladjustment, of the flanged set-screw connected with both foradjustingthem simultaneously, substantially as described.

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24. The combination of the two rock-shafts,

set-screw connected with both, and means for limitingthe play of theset-screw, substantially as described.

25. In a sewing and trimming machine, a vibratory shear blade or cutterarranged on the needle side of the line of trimming with its front endat the side ofthe needle, and provided with a vertical bevel at said endon the face adjacent to the needle, in combination with a stationaryshear blade or cutter arranged on the side of the line of trimming awayfrom the needle and having its cuttingedge extended alongside of theneedle, so that the said shear-blades may cut alongside the needle at adistance therefrom less than the thickness of the vibratory blade orcutter, substantially as described.

26. The combination, with the tension-disks, ot' a spring-arm providedwith a teat for entering between and separating the said disks,substantially as described.

27. In a sewing and trimming machine, the combination of the hingedpresser-foot and the trimmer having its cutting portion at the side lotthe hinge or heel of the presser-foot, so that the said presser-foot atall times, during the passage of a seam, clamps the work alongside saidcutting portion, and thus assists the cutting operation, substantiallyas described.

28. 'Ihe combination of the hinged presserfoot, the clamping-finger, andthecutter work- IOS IZS

32. The hinged presser-foot, comprising, in combination, an attachingportion, the foot proper, the interleaved hinge-plates having curvededges, the pivot-pin, the additional pin, and the inolosed spring,substantially as zo described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

. STOCKTON BORTON. CHAS. H. WILLCOX.

Witnesses GILMAN E. J OPP, THos. A. MILLETT.

